Love and Pride
by Kaoru Kamiya
Summary: What happens when Kenshin needs to prove his love to Kaoru, to save her life or even his life... Please Read and Review ^.^
1. Love and Pride: The intruder

Love and Pride  
By Kaoru Kamiya  
  
The sun was setting slightly. The colors splattered around the sky.   
The different colors mixed slowly into the night sky. Kaoru sat on the  
dojo roof with Kenshin. Kenshin's arm was wrapped around her and she   
had her head rested softly on his shoulder. They watched the sky turn  
darker and darker as the minutes went by...  
  
"Do you have to go tomorrow, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked him as she turned  
her head slightly.   
  
"Hai, Kaoru. the government needs me again..." Kenshin replied as he  
looked over at her. She was beautiful and he did not want to leave her.  
  
Kaoru frowned slightly, "But, i need you too..."   
  
"Kaoru..." Kenshin put his hand under her chin and tilted her head up,  
"I will always be here with you..." He then gave her a soft kiss on the  
lips.  
  
"Ken...shin..."   
  
Their kiss broke and they stared at each other. Kenshin looked sad even  
though he would only be gone for a couple of days...  
  
"I'll be back as soon as i can... i promise..." Kenshin said as he   
kissed her again.  
  
"Okay..." Kaoru sighed as she leaned up against him again.   
~  
"I'll see you soon!"Kenshin said as he waved and walked down the   
streets. Kaoru waved back and walked back into the dojo. It was quite  
lonely for some reason today. Sano was out gambling and spending all   
her money that she loaned him and Yahiko was over the Akabeko helping   
Tae with the daily chores of the restuarant. Kaoru sighed again. She   
then walked around the dojo, doing chores like washing the clothes and  
fixing the broken walls.   
  
//Boring job... The only thing that ever made chores interesting was   
watching Kenshin...\\  
  
She loved staring at Kenshin when he did his chores. She just loved him  
so much.   
  
Koaru tilted her head as she heard footsteps coming toward her.  
  
//Probably Sano asking for more money\\   
  
She looked behind her and saw a dark figure standing there.   
  
//NOT SANO\\  
  
She picked up her broom.   
  
"What do you want?" Kaoru asked as she held up the broom ready to   
defend herself.   
  
The person only laughed and charged at her. Kaoru jumped to the side   
and hit the stranger with the end of the broom. The person staggered  
back and grunted. Then the person turned to face her. It was a tall   
strong looking man. He glared at her and ran toward her again. She   
jumped to the side again but was caught off guard by the man's sword,  
which cut into her side. She fell to the ground and dropped her broom.  
She held her side as the man walked up to her.   
  
"What do you want! you walk in to my dojo and attack me! You have some  
nerve!" Kaoru felt the tip of the sword under her neck.  
  
"I just need you... that's all" The man said.  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"To get Battousai to come out and... play" the man then bent down and  
hit Kaoru in the back of the head with his sword hilt. She collapsed   
and the man picked her up and swung her around his shoulder...  
  
"Let's see how much Battousai has become weak over the years..."  
~  
~  
~  
What do you think? Please review! ^.^ i'll add to this later! 


	2. Love and Pride: The letter

Kamimura Kaoru~Thanks for reviewing! You are the first for this story.   
^.^ Give you some honor for being the first!  
  
~  
  
Love and Pride  
Chapter 2  
  
~  
"Oi, Kenshin!" Sano yelled over the crowd and waved.   
  
"Sano, how are you?" Kenshin smiled as they pushed through the crowd.  
  
"Uhh... well i lost some of Jyo-chans money last night... So i'm not   
too sure if i'll be fine by tonight I hope she won't be too mad." Sano   
put his hand behind his head and laughed.  
  
"Ha, well knowing Kaoru, you'll be doing extra chores today!" Kenshin   
stated as they started walking down the street to the dojo. They   
arrived shortly and walked inside.  
  
"Kaoru! Kaoru, Tadaima!" Kenshin said as he set down his bag.   
  
"Oi! Jyo-chan!" Sano yelled as they searched around the house for her.  
  
"I wondered where she is?" Kenshin said, looking kind of worried.  
  
"Oh don't worry, she's probably out buying food or something. I think   
she's capable of handling herself, don't you think..." Sano said as he   
sat down on the porch.   
  
"Well, yeah you're right." Kenshin sighed and sat down nexted to Sano.  
  
"So... Kenshin... I heard you guys on the roof a couple nights ago..."  
  
"Sano! You were spying on us?"  
  
"Well... it wasn't like you guys weren't whispering or anything!"  
  
"Sano!"  
  
"So what did ya do up there? Huh, come on tell me!" Sano smirked as he  
leaned closer to Kenshin and nudged him.  
  
"I'm not going to tell you my private life with Kaoru!" Kenshin pushed  
Sano away and stood up.  
  
"Oh come ON Kenshin!" Sano pleaded, but Kenshin wasn't listening. He   
walked into his room and shut the door.  
  
//Sano! I swear!\\ Kenshin thought as he sat on the floor of his room.   
  
"Itai! What's this?" Kenshin asked to himself as he jumped up and   
grabbed the thing under him.   
  
//A letter?\\  
  
Kenshin read it to himself quickly, then got up and ran out the room.  
  
"Sano! Sano! Come here quick you have to read this!" Kenshin ran over  
to Sano and began to read the letter out loud:  
  
iBattousai,  
I have your woman with me right now. She was all alone at the dojo   
today... where were you battousai? She needs to be protected from   
people like me? I regret to tell you that if you don't show up and   
take her back, she'll die... So battousai what are you going to do now?  
Let's see how much you care for her...  
I'll leave you with this...  
The five "Kings" wait here  
as the birds sing their songs  
that swam in the bathes  
that are now dry  
if the moon is full  
and Orion is seen  
that's where you  
will be able to find me...  
/i 


	3. Love and Pride: No windows

Gypsy-chan~ Ahh! i actually wrote Jyo-chan? LOL i guess i should read   
over my chapters, ^.^ thanks for pointing it out for me!  
Aku-chan~thanks for the review on both chapters! ^.^   
  
Love and Pride  
Chapter 3  
  
"Nani? What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Sano said as he read   
the note over and over again, "Five Kings? Bird's bathing? Orion? I   
don't get it..."   
  
"Nether do i Sano..." Kenshin was deep in thought, "But who ever took  
Kaoru... i, i don't know what i'll do to them." Kenshin then took the  
note from Sano and read it again...   
  
"Well... Five Kings... we have to figure that out first. But where to   
start..." Kenshin looked up at Sano. He was returned by a blank stare.  
  
"A king... a king... maybe an emperor or a famous leader of some kind."  
Kenshin said as he rubbed his head.   
  
"Well let's ask around town to see if they know anything of  
a any famous leader coming to town..." Sano said as he kicked his foot  
in the dirt.   
  
"But it says the five kings wait here... so they're are five."  
  
"Well maybe five famous leaders are coming! I don't know, i'm not good  
at these kind of riddles. Let's just check to see if anyone has heard  
of anything strange going on around here."  
  
"Okay Sano, let's go!"   
~  
Kaoru slowly opened her eyes. She was lying on a bed of straw. She sat   
up quickly and found, to her surprise, that she was not bound in   
anyway. She looked around. She was in some sort of cabin. She noticed   
that there were no windows, only a door right in front of her. She tried  
to stand up but to find a harsh pain in her side.   
  
//I remember now...\\  
  
She rubbed her side slightly. She found she had been taken cared of.   
Her wounds were wrapped and cleaned.   
  
//What... what is going on? I thought i'd be dead\\  
  
She door creaked open to show an outline of... of a small girl. She   
walked over and sat next to Kaoru. She smiled slightly and put a tray  
of food on the floor. Kaoru just stared at her.  
  
"Eat up." the girl said with a smile,"I'd eat up if i were you. You   
have awhile until your friend arrives for you."   
  
The girl then stood up and walked out of the room. She shut the door   
softly leaving Kaoru staring at the door in amazement.   
~  
~  
~  
I know it was short short short... Gomen ne! I'll put up a chapter soon  
don't worry. I can't help it though, it's the holidays! ^.^ 


	4. Love and Pride: The young girl

Saby-chan~Arigatou! Here's the next chapter! ^.^  
Gyspy-chan~ ^.^ yeah the mystery guy is kinda strange with his riddles  
^.^  
  
Love and Pride  
Chapter 4  
  
Kenshin and Sano walked through the streets searching for any kind of  
clues they could find. They asked random people if they knew of any  
kind of famous leaders arriving anytime soon and all of them looked at  
them very strangly and walked away.  
  
"This is hopeless!" Sano yawned as they continued to ask people on the   
streets. Sano spotted a nice looking lady with a child. "Hey Lady! Do   
you know anything about some famous leaders arriving in town anytime   
soon? One of my friends has been kidnapped and this guy is crazy and  
gave us this riddle..."   
  
The lady looked at him oddly, then whispered to her child,"Now dear,  
this is a perfect example of people you should stay away from." She   
then pushed her child along and walked down the street quickly.  
  
"Man! Kenshin! People think we're crazy!" Sano sighed as he caught up  
with Kenshin.  
  
"Hai, Sano i know, but he have to figure this out!" Kenshin said as he  
read the note again slowly.   
  
"Reading that thing isn't going to help you understand it better!" Sano  
said as they kept walking through the crowd, "Hey, look! There's the   
Akabeko! Let's go eat!"  
  
"Sano!"   
  
"It's better to work on a full stomach, Kenshin! Plus maye Tae can help  
us figure out this riddle."  
  
"You're not worried about Kaoru are you?"  
  
"Oh ofcourse i'm worried about Jou-chan! (AN:Gyspy-chan! I got it right  
this time!) But think about it Kenshin, if this guy wants you so bad...  
he's not going to kill Kaoru anytime soon."  
  
Kenshin sighed and then stared at him, "Fine let's go ask Tae if she can  
help us."  
  
with that, both of them walked into the Akabeko. Tae was waiting on a   
table, when they walked in."  
  
"Tae! How are ya!" Sano said as he grabbed an apple from one of the   
people sitting down and eating.  
  
Tae turned around and raised an eyebrow,"Sanosuke! When are you going  
to pay for that apple if i may ask?"  
  
"I'll pay for it later!" He said as he and Kenshin walked up to her.  
  
"I should make you pay for all the other times you walked in here and  
took food!" She then turned to Kenshin,"Why, Hello Kenshin, how are  
you?"  
  
"Well, not so good Tae... Kaoru's been kidnapped..."  
  
"What! By who?" She asked looking very concerned.  
  
"I wish i could tell you. The only thing we have to work on right now   
is this..." Kenshin then handed Tae the note with the riddle on it.   
Tae read it over slowly.  
  
"This guy is serious... Kings, Birds, Orion... who's Orion?" She asked  
as she handed back the note the Kenshin.  
  
"No idea..." Kenshin said as he read the note over again.  
  
"Don't worry Kenshin, we'll find her. Many strange people come in here,  
so i'll ask around don't worry." She said trying to comfort Kenshin a  
little. Kenshin only nodded. The three of them were deep in thought.  
  
"Hey Waitress! Bring more Noodles." A man shouted from across the room.  
  
Tae sighed,"Well i better be back to my business. I'll talk to you guys  
later." Tae then walked away shouting, "Yes, yes i'll be there in a   
minute!"  
  
Kenshin and Sano looked at each other. then walked out of the door and  
into the streets again.  
~  
Kaoru slowly sipped at her water the young girl had given her.   
  
//What is that girl doing here? And with such a strange man.\\  
  
The door opened slowly again. The outline of the girl stood in the frame  
of the door.  
  
"Good! You ate something." the girl said as she walked into the room.   
Kaoru finally saw the girl more clearer this time. She was dressed in  
a small komono of black with red and white flowers splashed around it.  
Her black hair was loosely around her shoulders. She sat down next to   
Kaoru and stared at her with her bright green eyes. Then she smiled.   
  
"I need to check your wound. I'm sorry this happened to you. My father  
never intended on hurting you this much..."   
  
"Your father?"  
  
"Yes," The girl said as she looked at the floor sadly,"The man who took  
you from your home is my father."  
  
Kaoru looked shocked and the girl looked back up at her,"Why did your  
father take me her?"  
  
"Well..." She began but the door slammed open to show the outline of a  
tall man. He was a very strong built man. He had black shaggy hair like  
his daughter's and stern green eyes.  
  
"Chiaki? What are you telling her..." The man seemed to grunt out as   
the girl looked up at him.   
  
"No...nothing dad..." She said as she began to change Kaoru's bandages.  
The man stared at Kaoru with his now icy eyes. Kaoru looked from him  
then back to the girl, she now knew as Chiaki.   
  
"There... i'm done dad!" She said as she got up. Kaoru then grabbed her  
arm.  
  
"Thank you..." She said with a small smile and let go. The girl smiled   
back at her, then ran out of sight and shut the door...  
~  
~  
~  
Well well, things become complicated... the next chapter will be posted  
soon i promise! ^.^  
but for now   
buh bai! 


	5. Love and Pride: Secrets

Love and Pride  
Chapter 5  
  
Kenshin and Sano sat down next to the river and thought. What could this  
all mean? Who or what were these five kings that they needed to find.   
Both of them at no idea what they were going to do.   
  
"Well it says something about a moon right?" Sano asked.  
  
"Yes it does..."  
  
"Well the next full moon is a week from now... so we have to figure this  
out in a week i'm guessing." Sano said as he dug his foot into the   
ground.   
  
"Yes that would make sense, but we have to find this Orion... but the  
kings, that's throwing me off completely." Kenshin said as he read the  
note yet another time.   
  
"Maybe they're dead or something..."   
  
"Sano! Yes, that's it! The Five kings wait here. Dead kings wait   
forever!" Kenshin said as he nodded to himself.  
  
"Uh.. Kenshin?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Are there any graves around here?"  
  
"Umm... I really don't know." Both of them sat there in thought for a  
minute.  
  
"Who would know about graves?" Sano asked.  
  
"Uh... I really don't know," Kenshin then thought about it for a long  
time," Maybe... maybe Governor Yamagata knows something about graves.  
He's so involved with the government, maybe he has some answers."  
~  
Kaoru was sitting rubbing her side. She has no idea what time of day  
it was, though is was getting quite tired. Kaoru then sighed.  
  
//I wonder what Kenshin is doing? I wonder if he's even back yet...  
Maybe he doesn't know i'm gone... Oh Kenshin...\\  
  
Kaoru sat up slowly and took another sip from her cup. She wasn't   
worried about her safety anymore. She was more worried about Kenshin  
at this point. He's been through so much, and now he has to save her...  
again. From some crazy person.  
  
The door opened after a while. Chiaki walked in and sat down next to   
Kaoru. Kaoru looked at her curiously. The girl smiled back at smiled  
back at her.  
  
"So, you're name is Chiaki?" Kaoru asked after a long period of silence.  
  
"Hai!" She said happily,"My mom gave me that name! Said it just sounded  
like it be a name for me... well atleast that's what my dad told me...  
she died shortly after i was born..."  
  
"Oh, i'm so sorry..."  
  
"Oh don't be! I never knew her anyway. I'm happy living with my dad.   
Though he's been acting kinda strange lately." Chiaki's smile faded  
slightly,"He's been so uptight about finding Battousai and said that  
he had to make him suffer!"   
  
Kaoru looked at her strangely,"Why does your dad have to make him   
suffer? He's already been through a lot."  
  
"Dad doesn't care... for what he... did..." Chiaki then stood up slowly  
and ran out of the room...  
~  
~  
~  
^.^ Well well, there's a short chapter for you! Review! ^.^ 


	6. Love and Pride: Hajime

Shunu No Miko~Thanks for the review, here's the update!   
Kriska~ ^.^ it's a secret, you'll have to read and find out!  
RaDiCaL DrEaMeR~Yup i love my cliffhangers!  
  
On with the story  
sorry for taking a long time  
Fanfiction wasn't working for me!  
Happy New Year!  
  
Love and Pride  
Chapter 6  
  
**Knock Knock**  
  
"Come in." Governor Yamagata said as he spun his chair around to face   
door. He jumped up imediately as Kenshin and Sano walked through the  
door.   
  
"Himura Kenshin! It is so good to see you!" Yamagata said as he shook  
Kenshin's hand firmly.  
  
"Ah, Same to you Yamagata-san."  
  
"Please, Kenshin, Sano, sit down." He said as he pointed to the chairs,  
"Now what brings you into my office Himura-san."  
  
"Well, to make things short, i need to know if there are any graves  
of any dead leaders around here."  
  
"Dead leaders? Hmm, well there are some graves 10 miles down the road.   
There are also tombstones scattered around the area, but i don't know  
where exactly."  
  
"Hai, that's fine, arigatou gozaimasu." Kenshin said as he and Sano   
stood up.  
  
"I'll hopefully be seeing you again soon, Himura-san."   
  
"Yamagata-san, i wouldn't count on it. There is no need for me to be  
caught up in the governments work, when i am perfectly happy living at  
the Kamiya dojo." Kenshin said with a smile and turned and walked through  
the door.  
~  
Chiaki was standing in the frame of the door watching Kaoru. After a  
while, Kaoru finally stood up after a while. She was getting tired of   
sitting around. She stretched her legs and rubbed her side slightly.   
  
"Come on."Chiaki said with a smile,"Tou-san said you could come outside  
and walk around if you'd like to!"  
  
Chiaki ran outside and Kaoru slowly followed her. The sun hit her like  
a stream of violent rays. The heat felt good on her face. Kaoru looked  
around to see she had walked onto a porch. She grabbed on to the   
railing infront of her and looked around. A wide space of grass was   
surrounding them. Almost looked like a dried up lake...  
  
//I wonder why he's letting me come out?\\ Kaoru thought was Chiaki   
pulled on her kimono.   
  
"Are you hungry, Kaoru?" Chiaki said with a smile.  
  
"How did you..."  
  
"Tou-san calls you by that... that is your name right?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Tou-san knows a lot about you... like how you're father invented the  
Kamiya Kasshin Ryu and how Himura Kenshin's been living with you..."  
  
Kaoru stared at her blankly.  
  
"Tou-san says he does his research." Chiaki said with a smile.  
  
Kaoru looked at her strangely,//Why does he know so much about me, and  
about... Kenshin.\\  
  
Chiaki just gave her the same smile as always.   
  
"Chiaki, umm, why is you're father after Kenshin?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Chiaki!" The tall man walked on to the porch. He put on his icy glare,  
"Don't be saying anything to the lady now."  
  
The man looked over at Kaoru and gave her a wicked smile.   
  
"Hai, tou-san!"   
  
The man kept looking at Kaoru,"I think it's about time, we had a little  
chat missie." He then looked at his daughter,"Chiaki go a play now."  
  
"Hai!" Chiaki said as she ran off.  
  
The man stared at Chiaki as she ran off. He then turned back to Kaoru.  
  
"I guess you're wondering why i took you from your home and brought you  
here? Am I right?"  
  
"You want to kill Kenshin? Am I right?" Kaoru looked at him angrily.  
  
"Ha, you're a smart girl." The man stared at her for a moment,"Ah, but   
do you know why?"  
  
"No, not yet. I'm guessing you're going to tell me."  
  
"Well let me start you with this," the man began,"My name is Toriyama  
Hajime and the Hitokiri Battousai killed my wife, Toriyama Naoki."  
~  
~  
~  
^.^  
well the next chapter will come later, though i start school again   
on monday... **Sigh** So i'll try to get one more chapter in before   
then!  
Sayonara 


End file.
